Trapping: there are a variety of mouse traps on the market: Snap traps, glue boards and live traps.

Remember mice travel along a wall or surface, and they feel their way along with their friscae, or whiskers. So if you want to be getting rid of mice, set your traps perpendicular to the wall, trigger base against the wall. That way they snap against the wall; some mice will get smart and jump snap traps. If this is the case, set another trap 3″ from the first trap. Do the same thing with glueboards and live traps.

It’s easy to bring fleas and ticks into your home when returning from hikes, walks and outdoor exercise, and far harder to eliminate them.

Not only are ticks unpleasant and painful, they spread disease and infection through their bites. Fleas are even more common – especially when you have a pet in the house – and can quickly become an out of control infestation.

By following the seven simple tips below you can reduce the number of bugs that make their way into your home, and also learn how to remove them quickly and efficiently.

While there are thirteen different known kinds of ticks in Minnesota, the primary kinds of ticks that you are likely to find are the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis), the deer tick / blacklegged tick (Ixodes scapularis), and the brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus).

They are commonly found in longer grasses, in woodlands and on trails, and even the tidiest back yard is not immune to them. Dogs and cats can pick them up while playing outside, irrespective of their breed or coat type, so some kind of tick preventative on your furry friends is important.

The size and color of the tick can vary, depending on whether or not they are engorged with blood, and on the species, but hatchlings can be as small as under 1mm, while adults can be the size of a sunflower seed, growing to half an inch long if engorged.

There are four phases in a tick’s lifecycle: egg, larval, nymphal and adult. They suck blood during all stages, emitting and transmitting pathogens, living beings that cause illnesses in the host. It is important to identify and remove ticks as soon as possible, as infections can result from a bite, and also transmit Lyme disease and Anaplasmosis in both animals and humans. These are the most common tick-borne diseases in Minnesota, with 1,200-1,400 reported Lyme cases each year, and 600-700 cases of human anaplasmosis being seen.

If you find yourself with a tick invasion in your house, look to repairing any cracks that come inside from the outside, and also keep the area outside tidy and the grass cut.

A more likely source of ticks in the home is pets coming indoors with ticks on them. The ticks may not necessarily be attached, but may be making their way through the fur and can fall off inside as the pet makes its way through the house.

Check your pet before he or she goes back in the house after exercise; problem areas will be armpits, inside of the rear legs, inside ears, bellies and around the eyes. These are all places where the fur is less dense, making it easier for the ticks to attach.

Remove ticks found on people and animals immediately, being careful to remove the head. Clean the area well with antiseptic or alcohol to reduce the risk of infection. Do not crush the body of the tick, but grasp carefully with tweezers around the head, and twist counter-clockwise to remove. To avoid spreading bacteria, it is important not to squeeze the body of the tick. Wash hands thoroughly before and after removal.

There are many other folk remedies touted on the internet for removal of ticks from yourself or your pets, including covering in vaseline, using alcohol, nail polish remover or burning matches, but these are not recommended by the health department and should be avoided for safety.

Should Lyme disease be suspected, often characterized by a red ‘bullseye’ around the wound, retain the removed tick for medical inspection and testing. Symptoms of Lyme disease include severe fatigue, fevers and muscle aches.

Removing ticks promptly is crucial to the prevention of Lyme disease; it is necessary for them to remain attached for 24-48 hours in order to transmit the bacteria. However, there is evidence to suggest that human anaplasmosis is transmitted more quickly; in around 12-24 hours. Symptoms are similar to Lyme, including fevers, headaches, muscle aches and chills and shaking.

In pets, and Lyme is significantly more common in dogs than cats, symptoms include lameness and swollen joints, fever, lymph node enlargement, reduced appetite and lethargy.

Where you are not able to remove the tick safely or if you leave the head embedded, seek medical or veterinary attention.

Fleas can be found in all areas of Minnesota. Indications include itching and redness of affected areas. For fleas on dogs, veterinarians will be able to prescribe chemicals to kill and repel them, and some can also be purchased over the counter in pet stores.

Fleas also carry disease, including plague, cat scratch fever and flea tapeworm. It is very easy for fleas to hide in carpets, rugs and soft furnishings, in areas that don’t get cleaned very often even in the cleanest of houses, and breed indiscriminately.

For more widespread infestations in homes and buildings, it may be necessary to call a pest control company to spray and treat the affected area.

Fleas and ticks are both parasitic in nature, sucking the blood of their hosts and transmitting disease and infection through the bite.

The following advice can make your home less welcoming to fleas and ticks:

Investigate Your Yard.

The main line of safeguard is shielding your property from bugs and ticks setting up housekeeping anywhere you or your pets frequent.

Keep bushes and trees trimmed back, and the grass cut.

Discourage wildlife and other pets from coming into your yard and bringing pests with them. Keep your pets’ food inside to discourage visitors such as opossums, raccoons and non-domesticated cats.

Monthly pet treatments – spot on

Use spot on treatments and preventatives on your cats and dogs.

When returning to the home after a walk, brush your pet outside before going indoors to remove any ticks they may have picked up outside, and check the high-risk areas of your pet visually and by feel. The tiny ticks are the hardest to detect, and may not be found with just a cursory glance.

Shearing long haired pets during spring and summer will make it easier to spot any fleas or ticks they may pick up.

Pet treatments – collars

Flea and tick collars are available in long lasting formulations for both cats and dogs. While a little more expensive than the spot on treatments, they are said to be very effective in preventing bugs from taking up residence on your pet.

Pet treatments – pills

ticks on dog

If you prefer, there are flea and tick treatments for both cats and dogs in pill form. Many also prevent heartworms, so can be a one-stop-shop for a healthier pet.

Keep Your Home Clean.

Vacuum frequently and in all the corners and under furniture to remove bugs. Change out your vacuum bag or empty the canister frequently – and do it outside – to prevent the bugs from returning to the house and eggs from hatching inside your vacuum cleaner.

Wash pets’ bedding frequently and consider spraying with some kind of flea and tick repellent. If you prefer to stay away from chemical use in your house, there are several kinds of essential oils that are very effective in the fight against fleas and ticks. Once again, be careful when using essential oils around cats as they are extremely sensitive to them.

Lavender, lemon, citronella, bergamot, cedarwood, peppermint, geranium, sweet orange and rosemary are all good for repelling fleas and ticks, and a mild solution can be made up in a spray bottle, mixed with purified water, for use on pet bedding. Alternatively, there are several commercially available herbal based flea and tick sprays and shampoos.

Use repellant

Both Diatomaceous Earth and Borax are effective repellants; Borax can be toxic to children and animals, however, so should be used with care. When sprinkled around problem areas in the home they can repel and eliminate fleas and ticks.

Using repellent on yourself when outside will also help to prevent fleas and ticks from hitching a ride inside. Products containing DEET or permethrin are excellent repellents, but it’s important to be cautious when using them around animals. Permethrin in particular is highly toxic to cats.

Only use permethrin on your clothing, do not apply directly to skin. Wearing long sleeves and tucking pants into socks can help create a tick barrier.

Treat infestations promptly.

If you suspect a flea or tick infestation in your house, move quickly to treat with bug bombs followed by extensive vacuuming, or call in an exterminator. An infestation will never resolve itself, and can become out of control in a very short space of time.

Fleas in particular have a long life cycle, and eggs can remain dormant for some time. It may be necessary to have repeat treatments to kill adults and then further treatment after eggs have hatched, so if you choose to tackle the situation yourself, remember to plan for ongoing treatments.

A hands-on approach to both prevention and cure is obviously the best way to handle any kind of bugs, inside or outside of the home. By making your home less inviting to them and removing their opportunities to reproduce, you’re less likely to encounter problems. Repellants and bug bombs are your next line of defense, and you know what they say: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

One or two fleas may not seem like a big deal, but remember that fleas are like cockroaches: if you can see a few of them, there’s sure to be millions you can’t see. And when these bugs have the potential to bring illness to hosts, both human and pet, it’s crucial to act immediately. With these seven tips in mind, you’ve got a handle on keeping them out, getting rid of them and making sure your family stays healthy and bug-free.

Cockroaches are among the family of pests that are most irritating. They can be dangerous to human beings as they contaminate our food and act as carriers of disease. They distribute the microorganisms within their spit into the foods, causing various health problems. Damage is also caused to things in houses like books, clothing, electronics, wires, and so on. Read on to learn how to exterminate cockroaches.

Insecticide Spray

There are many chemical insecticide sprays on the market which can be quite successful in removing the roaches entirely. Cockroaches typically reproduce in places that are moist and warm. It is necessary that you follow all the security instructions before spraying, and keep pets and kids away from the insecticide.

Cockroach Traps

This can be another powerful strategy to remove roaches from your house. An adhesive material is in the cockroach trap with scent as the lure, and when they enter the trap to taste the lure, they become entrapped in the adhesive. Correctly set the snare in the regions that are generally infested, and leave them for a minimum of one week to eliminate the roaches fully. Set new traps after two weeks to check for any re-infestation.

Cockroach Bait

The cockroach bait features a chemical gel which functions as slow toxin for the roaches. The roaches will be brought to the lure and will bring more of their family to the lure. The cockroach who takes the bait will be killed within fourteen days. Put the lure in areas which cockroaches frequent such as trash, cracks on the ground, under the sink, cupboards, toilets etc.

Liquid Concentrates

Liquid concentrate acts as a toxin for cockroaches, but it’s important to keep pets away when used. Use the diluted mixture, and duplicate the treatment to prevent re-infestation.

Professional Pesticides

If other methods don’t work, you might need to use use powerful professional pesticides. These contain substances including Cypermethrin, which will help if your house or flat is having multiple roach infestations. The remaining effect of these compounds will kill all types of bugs and insects in your house and will continue for at least three months. This treatment should be used exclusively as a last resort and by a professional. If you’ve got children and pets at your house, try not to use this treatment without a pro.

Most of the repellent or cockroach prevention systems accessible the marketplace contain dangerous substances.

You’ll find many home cures for cockroaches without using substances that are dangerous for those who believe it is the best way to do away with cockroaches. Here are a few home or natural remedies for cockroaches.

Natural Methods to Do Away With Roaches

It can be a simple process to remove cockroaches. It’s possible for you to combine sugar and baking soda in equal parts and sprinkling this mixture near the roach infested places within your house. As the baking soda reacts inside the cockroaches it causes them to gas up, and the roaches feeding on this mixture will die.

Alternatively, bay leaves are aromatic leaves mostly used in Indian cooking. It’s a pleasant although pungent smell. It’s possible for you to set the bay leaf powder near the nest and other places where the roaches commune. The scent will make the cockroaches move from the area as they do not like bay leaves.

You can also use bathing soap to eliminate cockroaches. Prepare the solution of water and soap with a large quantity of soap and scatter it directly on the roaches’ paths. You can even spray the solution on the nest to get the cockroaches to come out and then you can then kill them.

Ammonia has a pungent odor which will repel and irritate the roaches. The scent of the ammonia will keep the cockroaches away. Duplicate this treatment once in fourteen days to keep your house free of roaches.

Boric acid can be used in a home made lure to kill the cockroaches. Put little dough balls in various places in the house, where roaches are seen to eliminate them. Add sugar and flour into the mixture to lure the cockroaches and they will be killed by the boric acid in the mixture. You can even make a similar lure by combining 1 part of hot chocolate, 1 part of boric acid and 2 parts of white flour. Continue using the lure to make sure all the roaches are gone. Keep this mix where your children and pets cannot reach them as it is hazardous to pets and people.

Make a mixture of one garlic clove, cayenne pepper powder and one onion and combine one tablespoon in one liter of water. Allow it to remain for one hour. Add one tablespoon of liquid soap to this mixture and use it in all areas at home where the roaches gather.

Listerine acts as a very effective cockroach repellent. Combine equal parts of Listerine and water, and add two drops of dish soap to make a solution. Place this mixture in a spray bottle and spray it on top of the roaches if possible and on places where the roaches make routine visits. They’re going to certainly escape from areas where this is spread.

Bleach and Pinesol mixed has an incredibly strong odor which will discourage cockroaches. Pour on the roach infested regions then clean the area after 20-30 minutes.

Set peelings from banana, apple or mango inside an open bottle with petroleum jelly inside the rim in your kitchen and toilet space, which are frequented by roaches. The roaches will be attracted by the scent of the fruit rinds and they get trapped by the petroleum jelly. Empty the cockroaches inside the jar into a pail full of soapy water to kill them.

Take an aluminum can and put bits of some cucumber rinds inside it. Leave it. The cockroaches will go in and most will not be able to get out. This really is an excellent, non-toxic way to remove roaches.

Another straightforward strategy to do away with roaches is the water trap. The roaches will enter into the jar and they’re going to not find a way to escape from your water trap. Only mature roaches can be captured with this process.

Preventing Re-Infestation

Once you eliminate the cockroaches using home treatments, it’s important that you simply take suitable measures to prevent re-infestation. Here are the strategies to prevent cockroach re-infestation in your home or office.

Locate The Nest And Destroy

If you see any cockroaches the nest will be likely in cracks or holes in the region. Use insecticides or any home treatments to ruin the whole nest once you’re able to find it. Be sure to seal interior walls along with any outside access points to prevent entrance of these insects into your home.

2. Setting Protective Traps

Unless done professionally, even if you’re successful in removing the cockroaches you should set traps to prevent additional infestation. Before they become resistant you have to kill the cockroaches before they lay eggs. They will be a threat if swift action isn’t taken, and they breed fast.

3. Spray Nest Areas

Spray insecticides in places where the roaches will potentially construct their nest. Spaces near drainage pipes, and moist and dark spaces under the bathroom or kitchen sink are prime locations. Repeat some of the natural home remedies for roaches every so often to ensure that the house is free of roaches. Keep the bathroom stoppers in place to steer clear of the entrance of roaches from your drain.

4. Keep Your House Clean

Keep your house clean to keep the roaches away. Wash your dishes and put the leftover food away quickly. Any food spills or crumbs should promptly be cleaned.

Tricks To Remember While Trying to Search for Roaches

The previously given home remedies for cockroaches are useful in removing roaches from your house, however you have to consider certain things while trying to do away with cockroaches. Should you be using chemicals and insecticides, attention should be taken as these substances may cause breathing difficulties and lung irritation in people.

Substances used for terminating roaches may include ingredients that are dangerous for kids and pets. Keep substances in positions not accessible to kids or pets but reachable to roaches. Attempt to keep the kitchen area and toilet dry, so that it doesn’t become a breeding place for roaches. Cleaning floors and kitchen counters using disinfectant liquids will help keep roaches away. Make sure dirty dishes are not left overnight.

Cockroaches cannot live without water. Repair any water leaks, and always keep your cooking containers and pots upside down so that there are not going to be droppings or any cockroach eggs in them.

Clean up the area instantly if you kill cockroaches manually. They despise the smell of naphthalene, so keep naphthalene balls in your house as and inside the cupboards to keep cockroaches out.

Do not permit litter to collect at home. Anything from old paper to clothes can be their domain for breeding.

You could get the aid of professional pest and critter controllers if you are unable to remove cockroaches using the above procedures. They are going to be nicely equipped to get the job done using techniques to eliminate them and keep them from popping back up.

Pest Control Blog

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